FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wangai, Gromova win 2008 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon
2007 County Music Champion claims second
Elite Racing Musical Marathon title
By Dan Cruz
June 1, 2008
With coastal temperatures and overcast skies, the 2008 Rock 'n' Roll
Marathon crowned two new champions in the men's and women's races.
Competing in near ideal distance running conditions, Simon Wangai of Kenya
emerged victorious in the crowded field at the 11th annual Rock 'n' Roll in
San Diego.
Seven runners were grouped together well into the final third of the race
but Wangai, 28, was the strongest, winning in a time of two hours, ten
minutes and six seconds.
Kenyans Leonard Maina, 29, Hilary Kimaiyo, 26, and James Getanda, 25,
rounded out the top four places with times under 2:12:00. Ethiopian Kebede
Tekeste, 26, finished in fifth place.
"The first half was too quick for many of the runners because there was a
large group and although it was fast, I felt good and I was sure I could
win after 24 miles," said Wangai. "I'm delighted to win in San Diego after
my victory last year in Nashville. It was a great race and I'm looking
forward coming back."
A strong men's field of 25 runners promised tough competition. The Rock 'n'
Roll Marathon's event record of 2:08:33, set by Phillip Tarus in 1999, was
in jeopardy throughout the majority of the race. At the half-marathon
split, the men were on pace to run what would have been a record breaking
2:08:10 full marathon time.
"One hour and four minutes is right on schedule for a record time," said
Matt Turnbull, Athlete Coordinator for Elite Racing. "As the pack got
smaller the pace got slower; however, it was a competitive race up until
the last four miles."
Many of the runners in the lead group fell off as the second half of the
race continued around picturesque Mission Bay, including defending champion
Daniel Yego.
"Yego may have been hurt by the quick splits over the first half of the
race," said Turnbull. "He competed in Rotterdam less than two months ago
and there may have been too much running in his legs to keep up with the
pace throughout the race."
By mile 21 it was a two man competition between Wangai and Maina along the
scenic San Diego river portion of the course. Halfway through mile 22
Wangai made his first move and never looked back.
It was a disappointing experience for 2007 Chicago Marathon Champion
Patrick Ivuti, who dropped out after the 12-mile mark with a hamstring
injury.
In the women's race, Yulia Gromova cruised to a 2:28:23, a new personal
record. Gromova, 34, who finished second in the Los Angeles Marathon
earlier this year, exceeded her previous best of 2:34:12, by almost 6
minutes.
Wangai and Gromova each won $35,000 out of a total prize purse of $170,000.
The pace of the women's race was set early by 38-year-old Nuta Olaru from
Romania, along with Kenyan Jemima Sumgong, 23 and Ethiopian Sisay Measo,
31. They held a lead of over a minute at the halfway point before the
trailing Gromova closed the gap.
"I never lost a visual of the lead runners," Gromova said about trailing by
over a minute. "I didn't really know the split times; I was just running my
own pace."
The top American male finisher was Mark Batras, from Rosemead, CA, with a
time of 2:32:07. Brad Ray, of New Mexico, won the wheelchair race in a time
of 1:46:23.
2008 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Elite Results and Prize Schedule
Male
Place, Name, Location, Time, Money
Simon Wangai, Kenya, 2:10:07, $35,000
Lenard Maina, Kenya, 2:10:56, $20,000
Hilary Kimaiyo, Kenya, 2:11:27 $10,000
James Getanda, Kenya, 2:11:50, $7,500
Kebede Tekeste, Ethopia, 2:12:10, $5,000
Female
Place, Name, Location, Time, Money
Yulia Gromova, Russia, 2:28:23, $35,000
Jemima Sumgong, Kenya, 2:30:18, $20,000
Nuta Olaru, Romania, 2:30:54, $10,000
Liliya Yadzhak, Russia, 2:35:53, $7,500
Sisay Measo, Ethiopia, 2:41:09, $5,000
Wheelchair
Place, Name, Location, Time, Money
Brad Ray, Albuquerque, NM, 1:46:23, $500
Monty Zmuda, Oceanside, CA, 2:02:27, $300
Edwin Figueroa, Commerce, CA, 2:12:22, $200
Master's Men (Over 40)
Danny Arteaga, 46, Chino Hills, CA, 2:54:04, $1,000
Master's Women (Over 40)
L.J. Egbert, 43, Phoenix, AZ, 3:06:03
The 2008 Rock 'n' Roll Marathon welcomed more almost 18,000 runners and
walkers to San Diego this year. For more information, please call
800-311-1255.
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